Light in Darkness

"Alone at night in a vast, dark forest, I had only a little candle to light my way. Unexpectedly, I came across a stranger, who said, 'Blow out your candle, you'll see much better.' The little candle is reason. It is a modest tool, no doubt, and cannot by itself solve all our problems, but at the same time it is the most valuable thing we have."
                                      -- Voltaire, recounted in "The Flicker of the Candle" by Normand Baillargeon

This long, late-night exposure reveals the secret scenery of the night. For what seems forever, I stand in a deep forest lit only by moonlight; the shadows are deep and frightening. Finally, a car passes, its headlights showing the way out of the darkness.

Location: Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona
Date: October 14, 2005
Time: 7:42 p.m. MST
Camera: Olympus OM-1 35mm SLR on fixed tripod
Film: Fuji Provia 100F slide
Focal length: 40 mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure time: 6 minutes
Scanner: Nikon Coolscan LS-2000